The best EDM in Denver in September

BIG GIGANTIC @ RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE | 9/28/13 Last year, Big Gigantic's show at Red Rocks was the best EDM show of the year, and that speaks volumes considering how many other shows there were to choose from. Their feeling of hometown pride was simply unmistakable as the outfit went into "Colorado Mountain High" and a giant projection of the state flag draped the rocks. The crowd went bananas, and the duo ended up delivering its best set ever. Needless to say, this return of Rowdytown is highly anticipated.

MARK FARINA @ BAR STANDARD | 9/20/13 Mark Farina's track selection is superb; he's got a vast library of funky house, acid jazz, hip-hop, spoken-word samples and unexpected surprises. But his popularity and longevity aren't mere products of his ability to select a track for the dance floor. Really, it's the sheer enjoyment of the music that he exhibits that makes his sets so enjoyable. He's not motionless or joyless behind the decks. -- Amber Taufen

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DUSKY @ NORAD DANCE BAR | 9/27/13 Dusky specializes in an older style of house -- the kind of house that was around before 10,000 fist pumpers everywhere latched on to house music. No, this is the good stuff. This is the stuff babies are made to. You'll know exactly what we're talking about when you hear Dusky's smooth vocals on top of those sultry house beats.

ZEDD @ OGDEN THEATRE | 9/24/13 Zedd is part of that new wave of producers putting new twists on old genres and making EDM tracks that are radio-ready. "Clarity," for instance, can be heard sandwiched between a Rihanna and Justin Timberlake song, but it still bangs out in the clubs and venues. Zedd's a good DJ, and chances are you'll hear a lot of Dillon Francis-esque tracks and maybe some tasteful remixes thrown in the mix, as well.

MARTIN SOLVEIG @ BETA NIGHTCLUB | 9/19/13 Martin Solveig -- or at least the Martin Solveig portrayed in all his music videos -- is one goofy musician. That's not to say his music isn't good, it's great; he somehow brings a serious pop-vocal element to otherwise great electro tracks, but it doesn't really cheese it up in the same way David Guetta does to everything he touches. It's almost like he's created this fun, mature-kiddie genre of music that is complex in it's musical elements, but simple and catchy in the lyrical content. Either way, the smile won't leave your face as you get down with him at Beta all night.

ARAABMUZIK @ RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE | 9/6/13 When it comes to EDM production these days, it seems like it's all been done before. Just the same, Rhode Island's AraabMuzik (aka Abraham Orellana) is doing everything he can to shatter any preconceived notions you might have towards dance music. Steering clear of the standard "press play" type sets EDM fans have come to loathe, AraabMusik utilizes his MPC to trigger effects and samples live, and whether he's jumping from an obscure funk vocal sample right into a popular dubstep drop, he does so with an ease and flair that keeps his compositions moving.

MADEON @ BETA NIGHTCLUB | 9/5/13 You know what Madeon did that you didn't do? He played Coachella at the age of seventeen, and he also turned a video game addiction into a music career. The ripe young Frenchie managed to figure out the formula for using samples, loops and triggers on an MPC to absolutely destroy the EDM game. Now, he's a badass who is steadily growing in popularity. Beta will surely be in for a good time, as will everyone swooning over the baby-faced master of the MPC.

OPIUO @ CERVANTES MASTERPIECE BALLROOM | 9/5/13 Opiuo, New Zealand's liaison to funk, has built quite a following in this country with his Down Under sound. Residing primarily in Australia nowadays, the DJ-turned-producer is healing up from a recent surgery on his ear canal and turning his attention to hitting the road before returning to the studio to continue churning out remixes and original scores. Depending on your taste in EDM nowadays, what with all the sub-genres of sub-genres taking form and catching names like "future garage glitch" and "progressive historic funk with a modern dubstep sound," it's easy to overlook producers. Opiuo is not one of those producers. He has consistently created masterful sounds that sound good in big rooms, small clubs alike.

MAZTEK @ NORAD DANCE BAR | 9/19/13 Maztek is a drum-and-bass producer who has a keen sense of dynamics. He lets every song build itself, and when it does, the crowd follows, which means each set is different, differentiated by how the crowd feels the music. There is none of that pre-made nonsense happening in drum-and-bass, especially with the acts that Recon DnB brings to town.

AFROJACK @ OGDEN THEATRE | 9/13/13 Afrojack made headlines and caught some flack for allegedly producing music for his then girlfriend Paris Hilton, who was being booked all over the world as a DJ. Sensationalism aside, the guy creates some big room bangers that make an entire crowd go crazy, and he crushes with his production, both of which have earned him worldwide fame in the EDM world.

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